


Pining is for Poets

by Ishyko



Category: Pacific Rim (2013)
Genre: Community: pacificrimreversebb, F/M, M/M, Pacific Rim!AU, chaleigh, implied Yancy/Mako, no one dies
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-02-20
Updated: 2014-02-20
Packaged: 2018-01-13 04:20:49
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,617
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1212472
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ishyko/pseuds/Ishyko
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>He’d never realized Chuck had dimples.<br/>Chuck had dimples and they made him breathtaking.<br/>Raleigh wanted to cry at the unfairness of it all.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Pining is for Poets

**Author's Note:**

> Yeah, so here it is. Not only is this work part of the Pacific Rim Reverse Big Bang (Round 1) but it was inspired by xxxholiclover's awesome vid which you can find here
> 
>  
> 
> [xxxholiclover vid](https://www.dropbox.com/s/4fh7k8hn6xoutfo/ChuckRaleighFinal.mp4)
> 
>  
> 
> What do you need to know? When I said AU, I really meant it. Like I just wrote and went with the vid and didn't worry too much (if at all) about dates and meshing with the actual movie.  
> -Raleigh & Chuck are closer in age (2 years apart) so they meet when Rals is 20 & Chuck is 17 nearly 18  
> -I didn't rehash the scenes that are in the vid but also don't look at those scenes and assume that they play out exactly the same way in my story. Same with scenes in the movie that aren't in my story. I did say AU, right?
> 
> What else? It's my first non-yuletide story AND my first Pacific Rim story AND my first story that has ever reached the unbelievable (would not die) length of 11,452 legitimate words. 
> 
> I learned that I am incapable of writing short stories at this time. I really tried but these characters...it was like automatic writing at times and I'd look at the screen at 5;30am and stare and go 'what the heck conversation or scene did you folks just have?'
> 
> Hope you enjoy. Feedback is welcome otherwise how else do I improve?

**PINING IS FOR POETS**

 

**PRESENT DAY – ALASKA – THE WALL**

“They decommissioned the jaeger program because of mediocre pilots. It’s that simple.”

Raleigh’s breath caught in his throat at hearing Chuck’s voice again through the TV. The frustration and arrogance as well as disgust were clear in his tone.

Raleigh didn’t blame him a bit.

The Wall of Life was a colossal waste of time and money. The jaeger program was the only one that had a chance of saving them.

The mediocre pilots comment was a nice little dig. Chuck always did have a way of getting his more subtle points across.

You only had to know who the target was.

“That’s Striker Eureka’s tenth kill to date. That’s a new record.”

That last line was a fantastic sound bite. If Raleigh had been a reporter he’d have hit gold. Hot headed jaeger pilot is frustrated with the politics when all he wants to do is save the people.

Chuck moving closer to the camera as he stated the kill count would be all over the news. The world would hear it as Chuck reminding them it was Striker who’d saved their ass.

Raleigh knew it for what it really was. He could hear Chuck’s intent.

_You hear that you arsehole?_

_A new fucking record._

_The world doesn’t bloody need you._

Those words were meant to hurt one person.

Him.

Raleigh watched as the reporter continued talking, the camera followed Chuck’s quick pace back to the waiting chopper. The scowl on his face having replaced his camera ready smirk. A few late comers from other networks showed up and Chuck snarled nipping any possible sound bites in the bud.

_They have me._

_And I won’t leave._

**^^**

**SEVEN YEARS AGO – ANCHORAGE, ALASKA – THE ICEBOX**

 

ONLY 46 DAYS TIL CHUCK HANSEN’S 18TH BIRTHDAY!!!!

OR AS WE LIKE TO SAY…

46 DAYS TIL RANGER CHUCK HANSEN BECOMES A MAN IN THE EYES OF THE WORLD – AND THEN THE GAMES ARE ON!

 

“OW! Yancy! What the fuck!” Raleigh grabbed the back of his head where a plastic water bottle had hit and was now rolling away slowly across the room. He slammed his laptop closed.

Yancy scooped up the bottle and tossed it to Raleigh (who caught it this time). “Still perving on him, eh?”

“I was not perving-“

“Yeah, right.” Yancy grinned. “Just 46 days-“

“I was searching for something else and this popped up instead.”

“Searching for what?”

“Stuff.”

Yancy raised a brow.

“Things,” Raleigh said, waving his hand vaguely.

“Ahh,” Yancy nodded wisely. “Things. Of course.”

Raleigh glared.

“Well _things_ are very important, Rals,” Yancy said. “When you look up _things_ , why soon you find yourself moving on to _stuff_ and then soon your knee deep in researching _this_ and _that_ and before you know it your head’s clouded full of spank bank –“

“STATS!! I WAS LOOKING UP HIS FUCKING STATS!”

Yancy crossed his arms and leaned against the bunk beds and smirked. “I’m pretty sure they don’t post those kinds of stats, you know, for fucking. I mean, if they did, how do you think we’d rank? My guess is-“

“He’s the youngest Ranger, asshole,” Raleigh growled. “There was me, you know, and now there’s him and I want to know what his fucking stats are.”

“Dick measuring are we?”

“Goddammit, Yance! That is it!” Raleigh flung his water at his brother and simultaneously launched himself from his chair to tackle him.

The two proceeded to grapple on the floor. But the elder had no intention of letting up. “I think you’re looking in the wrong place, Rals. The stats you want are in _Jaeger_ _Beat_.” Yancy dodged a blow to his jaw but then took a hit to the ribs. He gasped out in a high, breathy voice, “Chuck’s favorite breakfast dish is _Shit_ _on_ _a_ _Shingle_ , his favorite word is _fuck_ , and he loves his Jaeger, _Striker_ _Eureka_ , above all.”

Yancy had managed to flip Raleigh around so now he had the advantage and had pinned his younger brother pulling his arm behind his back. Both of them were sweaty and panting hard.

“Say it.”

Raleigh kept his mouth shut.

Yancy leaned forward putting more pressure on the pinned arm. “Say it,” he sing-songed.

Raleigh refused so Yancy pulled up a bit more on his arm. Raleigh hissed.

“Fine. You’re such an ass, Yance.”

“Really,” Yancy drawled. He sat back, resting on his heels. “That’s the best you got today? ‘You’re such an ass’,” Yancy mimicked. “Granted, I do have a nice ass.”

He released Raleigh’s arm and gave him enough room so his brother could flip over on his back. “That’s not what I meant-“

Yancy placed a finger over Raleigh’s lips. “Ah-ah-ah. Let’s be a gracious loser. Don’t make me go all alpha dog on your ass again.”

Raleigh placed one finger on Yancy’s chest and nudged, and his brother immediately hopped off, the childhood signal as effective now as when Yancy created it. Raleigh rolled to his feet and raked his fingers through his hair.

“Besides, Yancy, Jaeger Beat would never print that shit about Chuck.” Raleigh grabbed a navy blue sweater from the back of his chair and shrugged it on. “He loves his dog more than his jaeger.”

Yancy burst into laughter and Raleigh smirked at him.

“And does his dog have a name?”

“Max,” Raleigh answered without thinking.

Silence reigned, shockingly loud, for a moment.

Raleigh flushed and his eyes widened in horror when he realized his error but it was too late.

He could still hear Yancy’s howls of laughter through the steel door, as he stomped down the corridor.

**^^**

**SEVEN YEARS AGO - TWO MONTHS LATER – MANILA, PHILLIPPINES**

Manila was something else.

It was incredibly overwhelming to meet the only other brother team besides the Gages and themselves.

Christ, the Hansen brothers. Lucky Seven.

The Handsome Hansens.

(Jesus, Rals, Yancy had said. I’m canceling your subscription to Jaeger Beat!)

That in itself would have sent Raleigh to the moon. And it did. Herc was a man that Raleigh truly admired. No nonsense, physically strong, great fighter, and had morals (didn't see him ditching his kid when life got tough). And it didn’t hurt that he was good looking. Extremely good looking.

He and Yancy had already made plans to go hit the town with the brothers and celebrate their victory in style with the city. Nothing was better than strutting through the streets after a kaiju victory; music, dancing, free flowing alcohol and kisses showering down on you. And all this was simply on the way to where the better parties were happening.

Down on the main concourse it was clear that an impromptu party had started in the mess and had spilled a bit outside into the hall. Scott was in the middle of the gathering in the hall when the Becket brothers walked up.

“Hey! Right on time!” Scott shouted jovially reaching out to Yancy to give him a handshake and pull him through the crowd and into the circle.

Yancy flashed his “all American easy charm grin” as the crowd parted. Raleigh followed with a wide, disarming smile and swagger, thumbs hooked in his front belt loops. The crowd parted, gifting the Beckets with pats on the back, congratulations, genuine thanks, and sultry smiles that promised more.

All in all, a typical ‘dome-style post-kaiju celebration.

Scott was flashing that fighter-pilot grin and making their excuses. Raleigh was feeling pretty high on life right now and was anxious to head outside the ‘dome. He was bouncing on his toes a bit inside the well-worn steel toed boots and trying not to be obvious that he was looking for his “hero” Herc (and why yes there IS a difference –as he wants to BE like one of them and DO the other one) when someone bumped into his shoulder hard enough to cause him to lose his balance and begin pitching forward.

It all happened at once. Like a movie. Like some horrible, god-awful, high school, date-night, chick flick movie.

Raleigh had been on his toes (that’s it, no more bouncing) and was tripping towards Yancy, who was already sliding forward to catch him.

At the same time, a large pair of warm, strong, hands gripped him tight around his upper arms and yanked him up so hard and fast he lost his balance again and slammed into the chest of someone who could only be one, Hercules Hansen, judging by the smirk on Scott Hansen’s face.

But it was the accompanying voice, the soundtrack to this graceless moment that caused his mouth to go dry, his heart to start racing, and a heartfelt prayer that he would wake up at any moment to find he’d been having and incredibly lucid, vivid dream.

All of Raleigh’s thoughts, wishes, prayers, and feelings shot through him with the speed of the drift…and now he was dropping out of pause and into real time…

“Oi! Watch where you’re goin’!”

Herc steadied Raleigh on his feet and released him as Yancy completed his lunge forward and slid next to him, encircling his little brother’s wrist with his thumb and middle finger and putting light pressure on the inner wrist. Something had spooked him and Yancy wasn’t leaving his side.

Scott was spinning the instigator around, preventing him from stomping to the ‘dome’s exit.

At some point the hall had miraculously emptied.

“Charlie!” Scott’s voice was friendly and yet carried a hint of warning. Or perhaps it was the grimace on Charlie’s face no doubt due to the pressure squeeze his uncle was giving the back of his neck. “I know we’re all in a hurry but I’m sure you can take a moment…?”

He must have given the short hairs at the kid’s nape a tug because Chuck’s head jerked up, eyes snapping with a glare set to full, jaw ground shut because it was obvious there was no way he was going to apologize.

Raleigh watched Chuck’s sneer wipe away to instant shock with a slight hitch in his breathing to be quickly replaced with heated cheeks that flushed his neck and under his collar and turned his ears bright red as well.

Raleigh didn’t fare much better.

Okay. Raleigh didn’t fare better at all. He was the same. Possibly worse.

Luckily the worst was on the inside. In his head. Where the older Hansens couldn’t see. Where he hoped to God they would never, ever see or they would skin him, flay him, tease his muscles apart strand by strand while he lived and they’d keep him alive to do this to him day after day after day because he had had such impure thoughts-

“-sorry,” Chuck mumbled softly, hardly daring to glance in Raleigh’s eyes during the apology.

Everyone was now looking at him to see his reaction, and God help him, he’d been lost in thoughts of being tortured by Herc and Scott (and so not in a good way) that he sort of stared at Chuck now and didn’t know what to do. He hadn’t heard a thing.

Yancy squeezed his wrist, a signal that he needed to do something. Chuck’s face was slowly starting to darken with irritation and Raleigh knew it was his fault. What was his fault? What was he supposed to do? Oh. OH!

He flashed a smile, the one he saved for the media and the public. “Sure. No worries, right? No harm no foul. It’s all good. We’re good. Thanks. For the apology, I mean. Not for bumping into me.” Yancy was squeezing his wrist tightly again, giving him a warning signal but he was also rubbing his thumb over his pulse point which was the soothing technique.

Only it wasn’t working. Raleigh was feeling frantic. He hadn’t felt like this in years. It was ridiculous.

But Chuck was frowning and studying Raleigh like he was an undiscovered problem he had yet to classify but he was rapidly coming to the conclusion that he didn’t like it and he needed it gone.

“Kill me now,” Raleigh muttered to himself, unable to tear his gaze away from Chuck’s.

At that moment, a young Japanese girl, stepped up to Chuck and pressed in close to his side, sliding her fingers in to his and squeezing tight. “Sorry I’m late,” she said softly.

Chuck’s frowning gaze dropped down to his co-pilot.

And here a miracle occurred.

That laser focus shifted and the warm smile he gifted her with caused Raleigh’s heart to stutter and his breath to catch.

He’d never realized Chuck had dimples.

Chuck had dimples and they made him breathtaking.

Raleigh wanted to cry at the unfairness of it all.

He needed air right now. He was such an idiot and he, Raleigh Becket, was absolutely not standing there staring at the two -

Since when was Chuck dating his co-pilot, Mako Mori?

He was not staring.

He was simply an idiot. An idiot who was utterly panicked because of dimples and this feeling like he was dropping in the conn-pod and-

“First round’s on Raleigh!” Yancy shouted as he started for the door. The tension immediately broke as he shoved his younger brother and ruffled his hair forcing all of them in motion.

Raleigh forced a bright laugh and grin. “Oh no. Not like last time. I’m not drunk enough for that!” He glanced over at Chuck’s co-pilot and gave her a wink.

Mako laughed and looked at Yancy. “This sounds most interesting. Why would your brother wish to be drunk for a first round?”

Yancy slid over to her and threw an arm around her shoulder. He stage whispered, “Because the first round was literally on Rals. We all did body shots off of him.”

Raleigh watched Mako’s eyes grow wide and a slow smile cross her face. “I wish to try this first round on Ranger Raleigh Becket,” she stated emphatically.

“Good girl!” Yancy pulled her in for a noisy kiss to her temple.

“Mori!” Chuck protested. He sounded scandalized.

Mako linked her arm through Chuck’s. “Oh, I would not do this without you Chaku-san. You will do a shot as well. Ranger Becket will not mind.” She turned her gaze to him and arched a delicate brow.

Raleigh felt powerless. “Ahhh…uh…no," he stuttered. "I will not, er, won’t mind."

Mako smiled triumphantly. “See?" She leaned close and nudged his shoulder with her own. "Can we reserve or call dibs on body parts? I'll rock-paper-scissors you Chuck, for his abs. Or would you prefer pecs first?" Mako opened her eyes wide in false innocence.

Chuck glared. "Go home, Mori," he growled. "You're drunk."

"Not yet!" she said brightly. She then looped her arm through Yancy's and led him out of the 'dome, Yancy choking on his laughter.

Raleigh crossed his arms over his chest and shook his head.

Scott and Herc howled. They honestly howled like hyenas.

Or dingoes. If dingoes howled.

Chuck flushed a cherry red and glared at Raleigh as if he were to blame.

Raleigh flashed his most shit-eating grin and shrugged. Brothers. What’re you gonna do?

Chuck didn’t seem to like that answer if his scowl was anything to go by. Raleigh had already wished for death. He was hoping for memory erasure by alcohol.

The walk was proving excruciating.

They couldn’t get to a bar fast enough.

And once there he was going to get so drunk that when he was sober he would never remember how stupid he had acted around the Hansens.

**

Perhaps leaving the bar after everyone else hadn’t been the best of ideas.

Perhaps they might even be a little lost.

Raleigh drunkenly stumbled to a halt. Chuck stopped several steps later and then came back when he realized his new best friend wasn’t at his side.

“Ranger Hansen,” Raleigh began in a thick southern drawl, mimicking the scandalized tone of a famous nighttime news host, “Do you mean to tell me that you went into your first actual combat situation-“ he then dropped his voice to a loud whisper, “-having never been kissed?”

“Raaah-leigh,” Chuck whined. “Shut the fuck up.”

“But Chuu-uuck,” he whined right back. “We could start a whole new countdown. We could start a betting pool. We could have a lottery! Win Chuck Hansen’s First Kiss.”

Chuck laughed and started walking again. “You’re an ass, Becket.”

Raleigh gave his own butt a smack. “Yeah but it’s a nice one. Voted hottest Jaeger Pilot Ass two years straight.”

Chuck rolled his eyes. “Only because they can’t enter mine until I turn 18.” Then he tagged Raleigh’s ass with a smack hard enough to sting and took off running down the street, Raleigh in pursuit.

Chuck started to weave between carts and dodge down side streets and alleys where people still partied. The distant thunder grew closer and blended seamlessly with the loud music of a grateful city.

Raleigh paid no attention to the growing mist. All of his attention was on the loud laugh of the man in front as he occasionally bumped into someone and excused himself.

Honestly he hadn’t expected to have this much fun.

Chuck Hansen was truly unexpected.

A blinding flash followed by a deafening crash of thunder had the revelers screaming momentarily and then laughing sheepishly. In that time Raleigh had completely lost sight of Chuck.

And that’s when the night skies released all the rain. Like a switch.

The streets cleared quickly as Raleigh slowly jogged forward, peering down each alley. A little girl sitting under the awning with her brothers and finishing a celebratory snack walked up to him calling, “Ran-ger Gip-sy! Ran-ger Gip-sy!”

Raleigh stopped and smiled at the girl waving to him and calling him over. Her brothers’ eyes grew wide as he neared them recognizing the famous ranger who was one of the six to save their city earlier in the day.

 _< Hello>_, Raleigh greeted the four in the local language, Tagalog.

The four began giggling, delighted that he spoke their language.

The girl stood up on the stack of boxes, waving for him to come closer. As he did she tugged on his soaked t-shirt and leaned close, pointing down the now empty street.

She stood on tip toes and spoke softly in broken English. “Ran-ger Stri-ker. He go drink Coca-Cola.”

Raleigh gazed through the curtain of rain and the pool of neon and street lights, brows furrowed, unsure of what she meant. < _He_ _stopped_ _for_ _a_ _Coca_ - _Cola_? > He asked.

She sighed, as if he were the stupid one, and gestured again, only this time she pumped her arms at her side to indicate running. “He go drink Coca-Cola…wall?”

Raleigh looked again and now he saw the red painted wall with the words “Drink Coca-Cola” painted in white. It formed an alley that looked to head back to the dome.

He grinned at the little girl and bowed his head. < _Thank_ _you_ _for_ _your_ _help_! > He gave her pigtail a slight tug, waved to her brothers and sprinted down the street.

Raleigh had just turned the corner only to skid to a halt. Chuck was leaning against the red wall, arms crossed, oblivious to the rain.

“Uh, hey,” Raleigh began.

“Your Ranger tracking skills need some work,” Chuck said with a smirk.

“My skills are fine. I found you.”

Chuck snorted. “With help from-“

Raleigh was done.

He couldn’t keep a coherent thought in his head anymore. He was hanging on by his fingernails on the walk back to the dome but no more. Seeing Chuck completely drenched in the rain, black t-shirt plastered across his broad shoulders, water emphasizing his mouth, his jaw, the column of his neck…

Nope. Raleigh’s reason had checked out.

Raleigh’s impulse had checked in.

Goodbye control.

And so Chuck didn’t finish that sentence.

Raleigh took a step forward and sliding both hands into Chuck’s hair he held him still so he could kiss those lips that had been taunting him all night.

Okay, who was he kidding?

More than all night. Yes, he did look up more than the stats!

And Raleigh was careful. He noted every breath and hitch and sound Chuck made.

He pressed his lips gently against Chuck’s, letting his thumbs rub soothingly along his jawline. He licked lightly at the seam of Chuck’s lips before nipping lightly at his lower lip.

Chuck’s lips parted slightly on a soft gasp.

Raleigh smirked and slowly slid the tip of his tongue between Chuck’s lips.

Teasing.

Withdrawing slightly before placing a thumb on Chuck’s jaw to entice him to open his mouth a little wider, his tongue sliding in again, but only a little further.

Raleigh opened his eyes slightly to find Chuck’s green ones wide in surprise.

So Raleigh stepped in to Chuck’s space, sliding a booted foot between the younger’s man’s, and carefully pressing in with his knee only to find that Chuck’s legs moved effortlessly apart to accommodate him.

Chuck’s hands settled momentarily on Raleigh’s waist and Raleigh could feel the heat of the Ranger’s wide palms through his soaked t-shirt and shuddered.

He couldn’t help the low moan that left his own throat.

And that’s when Chuck seemed to break out of his hesitancy.

Chuck’s hands became frantic, moving to Raleigh’s hips and gripping tightly, pulling the older man against him even as he opened his mouth wider to welcome his tongue.

Kissing Chuck Hansen, his crush, in the rain, against a wall in Manila was quite possibly even better than killing the kaiju earlier in the day.

He found it hard to believe as well but there was no denying it.

**^^**

**PRESENT DAY – ALASKA – THE WALL**

“Marshal. Looking good.”

Marshal Pentecost walked closer, his host of soldiers making quite an impressive show for a non-existent PPDC. Pentecost glanced around at the gathered crowd and back at Raleigh. “You boys are hard to find.”

Raleigh shrugged. “Men like us gotta keep up with the wall. Gotta eat.”

Pentecost continued to assess him and Raleigh knew what he saw. A burned out man who was filthy from living and working on the wall. Leaner, from the lack of decent food. Harsher from the lifestyle.

And resigned to his fate with a heavy dose of bitterness.

A fate where the PPDC used him at will.

Used, nurtured, threw away, and snatched back.

Raleigh knew how it would end. He knew he and his brother would go back.

“And Yancy?” Pentecost asked. “Where is he? I’m only going over this once.”

Raleigh grinned but it didn’t reach his eyes. “Oh, he’s on his way.”

Pentecost paused, caught by the dry tone in the former ranger’s voice. He cocked his head slightly to the side and stared hard, as if he could read the truth in the blue of Raleigh’s eyes.

“Well then. Gentlemen,” he said softly; intrigued. “How are we drifting today?”

Raleigh gave a short bark of laughter. It was dark and so far from his bright, easy one of the past. “Why don’t you ask him yourself?”

Raleigh strolled off to grab their meager possessions as Yancy moved into view.

If Pentecost thought Raleigh had become dark and bitter than Yancy was going to be a pleasant surprise.

Because Yancy was now a barely contained bomb of rage.

**^^**

**POST-KNIFEHEAD + 4 MONTHS – ANCHORAGE, ALASKA – THE ICEBOX**

“You’re joking, right?”

Yancy glared at the visiting superior officer across Marshal Pentecost’s temporarily absconded desk. Major Garwood had been sent by one incredibly pissed off General Allen Joy (Killjoy behind his back) to deliver the news in person.

And if anyone suspected that the timing of the visiting messenger hadn’t been carefully planned from the moment one Marshal Stacker Pentecost had been summarily called to Indianapolis (the new home of the United Nations and any other organization that felt uncomfortable near large bodies of water) to the second Major Garwood’s booted foot had hit the tarmac of the Icebox, well, Yancy would happily correct their point of view.

Major Garwood’s brows snapped together. “You forget yourself-“

“I don’t give a good goddamn, Sir,” Yancy said between clenched teeth. Out of the corner of his eye he saw that Raleigh hadn’t moved from perfect PPDC military stance. His face hadn’t twitched, eyes hadn’t strayed, nothing.

But on the inside...

Yancy felt his breath catch again.

It’s what had caused him to sprint out of LOCCENT in a panic without explanation to Tendo and burst through the Marshall’s door with a cursory knock. He’d had no idea what was going on, only that his little brother was suddenly in such distress he couldn’t seem to articulate anything in the ghost drift.

“Well you’d better-“

Yancy took a threatening step forward and dropped his voice. The Major actually took a step back. “After all he has done and suffered. You do this to him?”

Yancy pointed at the folder lying on the desk, dishonorable discharge papers the only thing visible on the leather blotter.

Raleigh’s distress ratcheted higher and so did Yancy’s fury.

Garwood pinched the bridge of his nose. “This is effective immediately. You are to be escorted to your room –,“ his words trailed off at the look of violence in Yancy’s eyes. “Well. Yes. I will meet you at Gate C an hour into second shift to escort…to give you a lift to town.”

“Yes sir.” Raleigh spoke clearly. Yancy would have thought his brother had just been told where they were being posted next. Only if that had been the case Raleigh would have been bouncing on his toes and his eyes would be sparkling, because his mind would be busy planning their farewell AND welcome party.

“Dismissed.”

Raleigh executed a perfect about face and left the room.

Yancy did the same although with a little less polish.

Okay. A lot less polish.

“Ranger Becket.”

There was a minute hesitation in Raleigh’s step before realizing Garwood meant his brother. Yancy’s hands fisted at his sides as he watched the latest twitch when Raleigh left the room.

Major Garwood had moved from behind the desk and now stood in front of it. “Ranger, you do realize that this only affects your…brother. This discharge in no way reflects on you and your record with the PPDC – “

Yancy whirled around and launched himself at the major. He slammed a fist into the officer’s stomach. As Garwood bent over to try and gasp for air, Yancy helped him along, slammed his knee into his face, breaking his nose and causing blood to spray everywhere.

Yancy backed off immediately, his voice cool when he spoke. “Now I can get my own set of papers.”

 

**PRESENT DAY – HONG KONG SHATTERDOME**

Raleigh couldn’t breathe.

Stacker had been so casual as they strolled through the Hong Kong Shatterdome hangar reacquainting him with the pilots of Cherno Alpha and Crimson Typhoon.

  
He should have known better by how tense Mako had been when he’d seen her again in the rain. He had been so worried about how he and Yancy would be greeted by her that he’d been distracted and felt nothing but relief at her warmth and genuine happiness to see them again.

He’d failed to register her habit of clutching the tablet tightly to her chest when agitated.

Now he knew why.  
‘  
Striker Eureka and her pilots had arrived right before their own chopper had touched down. Herc was out of his drive suit walking Max towards them.

Chuck was still wearing his, face intense as always when speaking with Striker’s crew, no doubt making sure that his baby was being properly settled in.

Mako called to Raleigh but he didn’t hear.

He was too caught up in cataloguing five years’ worth of changes in Chuck.

At 20, Chuck had been incredibly lean and well defined. As strained as his relationship was with his dad he’d still managed to smile a lot more, no doubt because of Max, Mako, and his Uncle Scott.

At 25, Chuck had filled out, his chest and shoulders broader, his face more mature. The rest of his body seemed to have bulked up a bit. But it was the serious nature that really struck Raleigh. He seemed to have more frown lines and a perpetual scowl. From what he’d seen on tv, in pictures, and now in person.

And when he smiled it never seemed to reach his eyes.

Chuck stepped away from the crew and shouted for Max. He crouched down to pet his dog but no one watching could miss the proprietary way Chuck Hansen was establishing his territory.

Raleigh almost thought Chuck was unaware that he was there so he was unprepared for the dark look of loathing in Chuck’s eyes when their gazes locked.

He was less surprised by how much it hurt.

Raleigh stared back, unwilling to flinch or back down.

It took Mako’s third call of his name to finally get him to break eye contact and follow after her.

Raleigh made a point of exaggerating his arrogant swagger as he walked away.

**^^**

**SEVEN YEARS AGO – SYDNEY SHATTERDOME**

Raleigh and Yancy had touched down less than ten minutes ago. His long suffering brother had wordlessly taken his kit to their temporary quarters so Raleigh could take off to find his favorite Aussie.

Because there was only one now.

Chuck was leaning against Striker’s enormous left heel, tapping onto his tablet before doing what looked to be signing his name. He tossed the tablet onto one wheeled toolbox he’d been using as a desk before moving on to storing the other cleaned tools into the open drawers of the second toolbox.

“Hey gorgeous,” Raleigh greeted in a low voice. “You look good enough to eat.”

Chuck’s response was more than Raleigh could have ever hoped for.

He startled and dropped a tool. His face, throat, and the tips of his ears flushed a fevered red. This immediately caused his brows to snap together and a scowl to settle on his face.

Raleigh had no idea why he seemed to perversely find it charming.

Chuck wrinkled his nose. Covered in sweat, grime, and oil from working on Striker this was certainly not how he had intended on Raleigh finding him.

“You have a strange palate, mate,” he snarked.

Raleigh gave him a lazy grin and stepped closer. “I prefer discerning.”

Chuck crossed his arms and arched a brow. “That’s a big word. Do you know what it means?”

Raleigh stopped a foot from Chuck. He deliberately stared at Chuck’s lips a long moment before letting the tip of his tongue slowly slip out from between his own. He then let his gaze roam down, down, becoming more hooded before pausing at Chuck’s crotch.

Raleigh let a slow grin grace his lips.

Which turned even bigger at the hitch he heard in Chuck’s breathing.

He dragged his gaze up expecting to see a similar teasing grin on Chuck’s face.

Instead Raleigh was treated to reddened lips because of Chuck biting on his lower lip and pupils so blown out that the green iris was a vivid halo around it.

 _Oh_ , he thought stupidly. _I_ _did_ _that_. _**‘I’** _ made Chuck Hansen look like that.

Raleigh was very much afraid he whimpered.

“Raleigh?” Chuck sounded…wrecked?

His name, coming from Chuck, sounding like that had the blood rushing south so fast Raleigh blinked a few times to bring the world into focus.

“I don’t, uh, really give a fuck what the word means,” Raleigh rasped. His fingers twitched and grasped Chuck’s t-shirt, the other hand snaking underneath to the bare skin before scraping his nails roughly. Before dropping back out.

Chuck shuddered at the contact.

Raleigh felt frantic.

“Um, Chuck?” Raleigh began, fingers twitching. “Please tell me I’m not the only one feeling like this?”

Chuck shook his head. “You’re not,” he croaked.

“Why are we keeping this a secret again?” Raleigh asked. “Because I’d really like to kiss you until I pass out.”

Chuck simply stared back. “I don’t remember. But I want your tongue in my mouth and you can kiss me until I pass out.”

“Chuck,” he gasped trying desperately not to step closer and move his hips, to grind them against the hard body in front of him. “Chuck, I need –,” Raleigh had both hands clutched into fists and his jaw clenched in an effort to keep his voice down and his body still.

Chuck leaned forward and let his lips graze Raleigh’s left ear. “Me too. C’mon.”

Raleigh felt the warmth vanish as a vise grip clamp around his wrist. Chuck tugged hard moving quickly through the bay towards Raleigh’s temporary quarters.

**^^**

**PRESENT DAY – HK SHATTERDOME**

“So what did I miss?” Yancy asked as he settled across from Raleigh at the table in the mess hall. He’d witnessed the whole tense altercation from the line but by the time he’d reached the bottom of the stairs not only had Chuck left but so had Herc, after shoveling the last of his food in his mouth like a good soldier.

Mako joined them and slid in next to Raleigh before he could answer. The two of them had always been close (and it would have been a huge problem when he was dating Chuck if Mako hadn’t been Chuck’s co-pilot and therefore was able to show him the truth of their relationship) in a way that was hard to explain. It wasn’t quite like siblings which was definitely what she had with Chuck. Nor was it romantic, which was definitely what Yancy was currently sighing and wishing for.

What it was, however, was a deep bond that looked like friendship on the verge of romance and so it was always fodder for gossip. Raleigh had tried to keep the peace and make sure to keep his touchy/feely/handsy/huggy nature to himself until Mako and Chuck both smacked him in the head and said he shouldn’t change who he was because of some stupid people.

When Raleigh had pointed out that the whole world was blaming him for splitting up “The Striker Sweethearts” they got a wicked gleam in their eye and said why couldn’t hey simply add him and proceeded to do just such a thing until Stacker, Herc, and Scott put an end to it.

Something about Becket Boys and Scott being more than enough but for God’s sake the PPDC needs something sweet and innocent and Lord knows the two hellions have the public fooled but let it carry on for as long as possible.

“Oh typical shit,” Raleigh said tossing his fork on the tray with disgust. “Acting like he can’t remember how to pronounce my name for anyone eavesdropping, wanting to know where we’ve been, and basically reminding me that he thinks I’m ‘a sack of kaiju shit’. “

“Said he’d drop you like a sack of kaiju shit,” came the mutter from a man sitting two people over at their table.

Yancy turned and fixed the man with a bright, feral smile. “Hey, thanks for the commentary. It’s important to be precise. Now how ‘bout you stay out of our business and my drive boot doesn’t have to find its way up your ass?”

Mako let out an unexpected choke of laughter and they all watched that end of the table pick up their trays and clear out.

Raleigh smiled. “And the high school counselor back home said you couldn’t make friends.” 

**^^**

**EIGHT YEARS AGO – LOS ANGELES SHATTERDOME**

This was it.

His last night with Chuck for God knows how long. They would both be leaving the LA Shatterdome and heading back to their homes; Chuck to Sydney in the morning, he to the ‘Icebox’ sometime soon afterwards.

It had been a strange month as they waited for their respective jaegers to be repaired to the point that would allow for safe travel. Chuck had been increasingly reluctant to go out of the Shatterdome to hang out with the other pilots the last two months they had been in California, preferring to stay in and simply hang out with Raleigh, Mako, and Yancy whenever possible.

These days Raleigh might be laughing at something Mako said, or flick the blue-tipped edges of her hair to tease her only to glance up and find Chuck watching him. Raleigh would grin and wink at him and usually that was enough to chase away whatever momentary darkness he’d thought he’d seen in his eyes.

When Raleigh asked what was bothering him Chuck would say a number of things from his family to repairs to not feeling good to too much sunshine. So Raleigh simply stopped asking and observed instead. Chuck was never very good at talking anyway.

Raleigh did notice that sometimes the darkness would linger. It had become worse since they’d arrived in LA, the headquarters of entertainment gossip.

And really, what was better than jaeger pilots and movie stars other than jaeger pilots and movie stars together?

So while Raleigh, Mako and the rest would howl at the headlines (Gorgeous Gages: How Close is too Close – Brothers Only or More?) and tease each other about the suggestiveness of the poses (honestly Yancy, how stupid can you be? Shopping in Tiffany’s with a 22 year old Grammy winner? At the ring counter? And you’re wearing your dopey smile – it makes you look stupid in love) Chuck no longer seemed to find them as entertaining as he once did.

Mako pointed out that Chuck had to know better. Raleigh was crazy about him to the point that pretty much everyone knew Raleigh had a huge crush on Chuck whereas everyone was just as sure that Chuck did not return these feelings although they were still friends.

She also pointed out that there were an equal number of headlines devoted to them as Striker’s Sweethearts and Raleigh never flipped about that. Nor did he flip about all the times Chuck had been seen in LA having what looked to be an intimate meal with one celebrity or another.

Of course he had been there by himself when they had plopped themselves down at his table and oh so subtly signaled to the paparazzi. Mako knew it. So did Yancy.

More importantly so did Raleigh. For some inexplicable reason this seemed to upset Chuck even more. So he simply became more sullen, more removed.

And when that happened, if Raleigh was able to, he would quietly excuse himself and head to his quarters to wait.

Chuck never made him wait long.

Then Raleigh would pull him close and whisper soothing, loving words and run his fingers through Chuck’s hair until he fell asleep or things heated up until they were both sweaty, exhausted, and blissed out.

But this last month Raleigh had found that the happier he was with Chuck the more he was subjected to those piercing stares.

The more stares the harder Raleigh tried to tease smiles out of Chuck, to press kisses that he hoped burned into his skin the way Chuck’s did for him.

This last month Raleigh dragged out their lovemaking until Chuck was so frenzied, so frantic for him that when Raleigh finally allowed Chuck to come it was so all encompassing that Chuck had honestly freaked him out with the intensity of his orgasm.

On two different occasions.

Tonight, however, it had been Chuck who had taken him right to the edge and denied him. Over and over.

It was Chuck who had hotly whispered the filthiest of promises into Raleigh’s mouth, his ears, his skin until Raleigh was brokenly shouting Chuck’s name.

Over and over.

Gasping. Shuddering. Shivering so badly over the violence of his last orgasm, Raleigh pulled his arms in and tucked his elbows close in a futile effort to get warm and stop his trembling underneath Chuck’s body.

Chuck had quickly stretched and splayed himself over the top of him and tucked Raleigh’s head under his chin. He wrapped Raleigh’s tucked arms and body tight in his own arms. He then hooked his right leg around his partner’s and started to roll to the side but stopped at the desperate sound from Raleigh.

“I’m not heavy?” Chuck asked, having shifted and was now kissing Raleigh’s ear.

Raleigh shook his head and inhaled deeply, exhaling shakily.

“You okay?”

Raleigh nodded.

Chuck kissed a salty tear that had pooled in the corner of Raleigh’s eye. He kissed the next one that was falling down his face.

He held him tightly until Raleigh’s shudders had faded and then got up and padded to the small bathroom where he quickly cleaned himself up before bringing a heated washcloth to Raleigh and doing the same for him.

Raleigh stretched, rolled and then sprawled half over Chuck, face buried in the crook of his neck and shoulder.

I love you, Raleigh thought.

He heard Chuck’s breath hitch for a moment but then Raleigh was deeply asleep and had forgotten all about it.

**^^**

**ALASKA – THE ICEBOX – TWO WEEKS LATER**

Two weeks later Raleigh was staring at Chuck through the video call trying to process what he was hearing.

Because it sure sounded like Chuck was breaking up with him.

“It was never gonna work, yeah? Not in the long run.”

Raleigh continued to stare. Chuck rubbed the back of his neck.

“I mean, who were we foolin’ anyway?”

“Oh.” Raleigh had finally found his voice. “So…that’s it?”

“Yeah, right? I mean, end of the world, mate. Can’t be worrying about a relationship when we’ve got a world to save.” Chuck then gave a crooked grin. “Besides, was it ever anything more than a hook up? I mean a really great and long series of hook ups. Why else would we have kept it under wraps? Didn’t need the whole world thinking we’d gone and gotten serious!”

“Huh.”

There was a crash and a yell in the background. Raleigh suddenly shot out of his chair and out of frame. Chuck could hear Yancy speaking loudly but they were too far away from the laptop for him to hear clearly. A moment later Yancy’s face ducked into the frame.

Chuck glared. “Where’s Raleigh?” he demanded. “What the fuck is going on over there? Are you yelling at him?!”

Yancy cocked his head to the side, considering. What was endearing in Raleigh seemed vaguely threatening in the elder brother.

“Lucky for you, you’ve made it no longer your business.”

Yancy slammed the laptop screen down ending the call.

**

Six weeks later Knifehead hit.

**^^**

**PRESENT DAY – HK SHATTERDOME – ARRIVAL DAY - LATER**

Yancy stomped up the corridor to his quarters and paused when he saw Mako nearly fleeing their quarters to her own across the hall. Her door clanged shut a long moment later and when he reached the steps of his own he understood why.

Apparently Raleigh felt the need to get half naked and take a bath with the door open.

“Seriously, Rals?”

“What.”

Yancy entered their room and shut the door. “We’re back in a ‘dome. The Marshal’s daughter is across the hall. Try and keep your clothes on.”

Raleigh laughed. “It’s the end of the world Yance. There’s a whole new group of people to get mine with.”

“Cleaner people too,” Yancy teased.

“Besides, Mori’s always been immune to me,” Raleigh said, pulling a blessedly clean navy blue PPDC sweater over his head. “She still thinks of me as a puppy to be smacked with a rolled up newspaper.”

“Maybe if you’d stop pissing all over –“

“No point in me marking territory when you’ve done it first.”

Yancy’s mouth dropped open. “I have not!”

Raleigh glanced at their door to indicate Mako’s on the far side. “Whatever you say…alpha dog.”

He then began to pantomime a dog lifting his leg to mark its territory but his foot had barely left the ground before Yancy had grabbed him around the neck and proceeded to rub his knuckles across Raleigh’s head. Hard.

Mako had cracked her door open and heard the loud shouts of laughter of the Becket Boys as they roughhoused in their quarters before dinner.

**

Yancy was snoring softly in the bed across from him, his pillow damp from drool.

Raleigh stared at his brother and felt a deep ache in his chest. He hadn’t heard that sound in over five years.

Not since Knifehead. The last time either one of them had slept with any sense of safety or comfort.

Raleigh had hoped that maybe he too would be able to sleep but even being back didn’t seem to help. So he pulled on his training shoes and hoped that a bit of exercise might wind him down.

However, running the perimeter track at the top of the dome didn’t seem to help other than build up sweat. He did sprints and hoped that would work out the nervous energy as well.

Seeing Chuck was the second worst shock in 24 hours.

Raleigh was in cool down mode and had just jogged to a stop when a voice called out.

“I don’t like that you’re here.”

Raleigh spun around, heart racing as the voice broke into his thoughts. ‘What?”

Chuck stepped onto the track. “I said I don’t like – “

“What do you want?”

What?”

“What do you want?” Raleigh repeated. “What will it take for us to have as little contact as possible?”

Chuck drew up short. “Stay out of my way.”

“Easy enough. Listen. I have no intention of ever having to interact with you more than absolutely necessary,” Raleigh stated, moving slowly into Chuck’s space. “My brother and I are here because Stacker managed to find us and said he needed help. I have no fucking clue how this is all going to really pan out but I do know one thing. Stacker found me because I’m expendable, Chuck. There’s no other reason for him to seek us out when you’ve got a shit ton of academy graduates here all eager and ready to hop in a jaeger.”

“None of them have your experience, old as it may be, yeah? Maybe a few but not many.”

Raleigh raised his brows. He’d seen Chuck flinch when he’d named himself expendable. He was shocked to hear Chuck imply that perhaps Raleigh had some skill left.

“In the end Chuck it’s not all that hard to set a timer to blow and handle a neural load long enough to fall.” Raleigh stared hard at him. “I may have been stupid once about trusting some people and what they say but I won’t make that mistake twice.”

**^^**

**HK SHATTERDOME – 1.5 WEEKS LATER**

It had been scarily easy to settle back into ‘dome life and the routine of it all. Yancy and Raleigh went back to training with real bo staffs under the watchful eye of Mako and the other pilots. The brothers had still used their jaeger training exercises over the years but without other pilots around their form had become a bit lax.

Still, even with the good natured ribbing, the lengthy absence, the Becket Brothers were exciting to watch in the Kwoon.

“So why aren’t you two piloting?” Sasha asks them one day when they’re resting between bouts. “You seem good.”

“No stamina,” Raleigh teases.

Yancy flips him off. “Right side, shoulder, ribs, hip. They’re all right but,” he glares at Raleigh. “Not for a long haul.”

“No stamina,” Raleigh repeats.

“My dick’s stamina is fine though!” Yancy snarls.

Raleigh grins, twirling his bo staff. “Abso-fucking—lutely. How much stamina does it require when you pop off in under 30 seconds?”

“At least my dick’s bigger than yours,” Yancy says smugly.

Raleigh scowls and replies hotly. “By less than 1/8th of an inch and I’ll have you know that’s in –“

One of the Wei triplets interrupts. “You measured?”

Yancy and Raleigh turn to the triplets as one and ask together, “You haven’t?”

“Strange,” Alexis says, tapping his finger to his lips. “So, big Becket. You agree with brother that you only good for half minute? Da?”

Yancy drops his staff and launches himself at Raleigh.

Money begins exchanging hands on the outcome of this new match.

**^^**

**HK SHATTERDOME – TWO WEEKS LATER**

Was it possible for insomnia to get worse?

When you were already staying up nearly 24 hours a day and longer until you passed out somewhere (and could that really be called sleep?) could it honestly actually get worse?

The answer was yes. Absolutely, unequivocally yes.

**

“Ahh, Yance, I believe I’ve located Becket zombie,” Tendo muttered through a mouthful of bagel.

Yance strolled over and dropped into the chair next to Tendo. “Yeah? Where?”

Tendo swallowed and then flashed a shit-eating grin at his best friend. He punched a button on the console and the smaller screen in front of them switched from a hall view to another camera.

A camera labeled Striker Eureka Conn-Pod Interior Cam B.

“Fuck me,” Yancy whispered.

“Can’t. I’m on duty.”

Yancy cuffed Tendo in the back of the head, his eyes never leaving the screen and Raleigh’s sprawled out form on the floor; legs stretched wide, left arm tossed over his eyes. Yancy could tell by the slackness in his brother’s jaw that he was out.

“Shit if Chuck finds him there – “

Tendo made a strange noise.

“Tendo!”

The light went on above the conn-pod door signaling that someone was entering.

“You told him?” Yancy said, irritated. “Why would you do that to Rals?”

“Oh for fuck’s sake, Yance, when did you lose your sense of humor?” Tendo muttered tossing another set of headphones to him which he didn’t hesitate to put on. The next words came through muffled. “I don’t have to call him. Chuck swings by everyday like clockwork. I called you for the show.”

And with that Tendo punched up two more monitors and the sound.

**

What the fuck? 

Raleigh tried to drag himself awake but it felt like his body was made of lead. Someone was nudging his hip and speaking to him in an angry Australian accent.

A very familiar, angry, Australian accent.

Raleigh blearily opened his eyes and saw the frowning vision of Chuck Hansen looming over him. The frowns were sort of new. The looming over him was familiar though.

Raleigh was always amazed at how Chuck could still take his breath away and make his heart stutter. Even in a dream.

Raleigh must be really stupid crazy about him.

So he gifted Chuck with a radiant sleepy smile.

Chuck’s eyes widened and his jaw dropped.

Raleigh let out a husky, raw laugh. Chuck shuddered at the sound.

Raleigh liked that. He was really liking this dream.

“What the fuck are you doing in Striker’s conn?” Chuck barked.

Raleigh blinked.

“Becket!”

“Hmm?” Raleigh let his eyes wander from the new boots up the tight pants encasing firm thighs. He had just reached his very favorite part and could feel himself beginning to smile when Chuck shouted again.

“Becket! Focus!” Chuck pointed two fingers at his own eyes. Raleigh reluctantly dragged his gaze to his face which was flushed dark red in the half light of the conn pod.

He couldn’t help the grin that plastered his face. “Why’re you calling me Becket?”

Chuck huffed. “Because we’re not friends, arsehole.”

Raleigh wanted to laugh at the look on Chuck’s face. “Oh, that’s right. We’re not friends.”

He let the grin slide into a smile. “ ‘C’mere, Chuck.”

“I’m right fucking here,” Chuck growled, hands on hips, and nudged at Raleigh’s hip with his boot again.

“Chuu-uuck.”

“Raaa-leigh.” But he stepped over Raleigh so now he was straddling him but still standing.

Raleigh smiled wickedly. He couldn’t quite figure out why Chuck was playing so hard to get. It was new. But he could roll.

“Closer.” He could see Chuck wanting to break but he’d moved his arms from his hips to cross tightly in front of him.

Oh. That left only one thing for Raleigh to do in this situation. He didn’t use it often.

And when he looked at Chuck and cocked his head to the side, he could see the knowledge begin to dawn in Chuck at what was coming next. Chuck’s hands twitched and his back straightened but his gaze never wavered.

So Raleigh accepted the challenge and fired his opening shot.

He bit his lower lip, his fingers twisting the hem of his sweater to flash a bit of skin at the waistband. He heard Chuck sigh brokenly.

And to win the war –

“Charles. Babe. C’mere.” Raleigh had lowered his voice’s timbre and added texture but it was really the nicknames that did it.

Chuck slowly lowered himself to the floor until he had fully settled himself across Raleigh’s hips. His ass to Raleigh’s half hard cock.

For the first time in over five years.

The whimper and soft sigh Chuck made as he shuddered, hands fisting in Raleigh’s sweater were the sweetest sounds Raleigh had heard since Yancy had said his name after Knifehead.

Raleigh slid his hands into Chuck’s hair and brought him in for the slowest of kisses, feasting on his lips, nibbling at the edges before taking his time licking inside of Chuck’s hot mouth.

The kiss was everything Raleigh dreamed it would be, hot, wet, urgent, frantic –

Frantic and so new and different and-

Raleigh heard a deep moan and felt Chuck’s dream-self grinding into his hips. He groaned and moved his hands to grip Chuck and return it only to realize that the tongue he’d been sucking on, the hips he’d been grasping, the reason it had all felt so new and different was because it was new.

Raleigh woke up. All the way. Eyes open woke up.

He woke up to realize he hadn’t been dreaming.

Hours after the neural handshake training with his new co-pilot he’d gone to Striker’s conn pod to stand in Mako’s number 2 slot and remember what had made her R.A.B.I.T. He had sat on the floor staring at the console across and seeing it crushed and sparking while she and Chuck had continued fighting, completely oblivious to anything else but getting vengeance for their families. Tomorrow they were doing the full test in Gipsy and he had wanted to understand how things had changed for her and Chuck after their last fight together making it so they could no longer pilot together.

Fucking insomnia.

Now here he was.

And oh was he in deep shit.

But having Chuck this close again…

Raleigh savored a few more moments before implementing his escape plan.

He let his body slowly go slack, hands sliding from those firm hips and let Chuck take all his weight.

Then he started snoring.

It took Chuck a long moment to snap out of it and when he did Raleigh thought Chuck was going to drop him. Simply let his head and shoulders slam to the floor.

So it was a surprise that Chuck actually gently laid him down. Yeah it was with a curse but Raleigh wasn’t going to get a concussion so it was a win.

When Chuck stood up Raleigh wanted to cry as all that wonderful heat and weight left him but he simply snored louder and tossed the same arm from earlier over his eyes and cracked one eye ever so slightly.

Chuck was hovering, staring at him, frowning, and biting his lower lip. He raked both hands through his hair and then left, this time quieter than when he arrived.

**

That’s what Tendo and Yancy noticed as they stared at the screens in dead silence. Finally Tendo switched off the sound output and then all three monitors and the two took off their headphones.

"I, er, hmm." Tendo put the headphones away. "I don't remember your brother ever snoring. You, yes. Him, no. Is it the insomnia?"

Yancy continued looking at the blank screen, tapping his thumb against the armrest. “No. He doesn’t snore. Never has.”

“Fifty says your brother will have baby Hansen on his knees by the end of the week.”

Yancy snickered. “I’d take it but why a bet between friends when there’s a ‘dome’s worth of money to be had?”

**^^**

**FOLLOWING DAY – HK SHATTERDOME – POST-FAILED NEURAL TEST –GIPSY DANGER/BECKET/MORI DUE TO R.A.B.I.T.**

“That was downright terrifying,” Yancy stated dryly, heart racing with adrenaline. He stood with Tendo and the Hansens, power cord in hand, staring out the window.

Then he dropped the cord and sprinted out of LOCCENT to reach Raleigh and Mako, Chuck on his heels, heedless of protocol that says only the drive team and the med team is allowed in the conn pod after such an incident.

Stacker didn’t bother to open his mouth.

**^^**

**HOUR LATER – HK SHATTERDOME – POST RALEIGH/CHUCK FIST FIGHT**

“Drink it.”

Raleigh dropped to his bed and shook his head. “Nah. I’m good.”

Yancy held the tin cup containing a mysterious clear liquid that burned the hairs in Raleigh’s nose even when he tried not to inhale. “Drink.”

“No.” He peeled off his shirt and started to open the first aid kit.

“I’m not asking you to get trashed. I’m telling you to take a drink. You need it.”

Raleigh sighed and took a large swallow. Surprisingly it was actually pleasant tasting and left a warm glow in his stomach. Yancy smiled but then snatched the bottle away  when Raleigh would have poured more.

“Uh-uh, medicinal only. After breach closure you can party with it. Now let me see your hands.”

“I’m fine!”

Five firm knocks rapped on the door. Yancy handed Raleigh the antiseptic wipe while he went to answer it. Raleigh felt a shock of surprise at who the visitor was through their ghost drift a moment later.

“He can’t come out and play anymore today, Hansen,” Yancy drawled through the partially opened door. “He’s writing his lines. ‘I will not fight that cocksucker no matter how much I remember his dicksuck-“

The plastic first aid kit smacked Yancy so hard in the side of his head that it popped open and spewed its contents all over the room.

“Oh, look at that. We’re outta painkillers. Go get some, Yance. Now.”

Yancy pushed the door open wider and gave Raleigh a cheeky grin before sauntering down their steps and in the opposite direction of medical.

Asshole. He hadn’t been kidding about the painkillers.

He then stared at Chuck who was standing awkwardly in his doorway. He was still pissed off. Royally pissed off. He was choosing to ignore the part of himself that found “beat up” Chuck incredibly hot.

“In or out. And shut the door behind you.” Raleigh went back to cleaning his knuckles when he heard the door shut. He could see Chuck out of the corner of his eye. The silence grew longer.

“I don’t recall punching you in the throat.”

When that still didn’t get an answer Raleigh looked up only to see Chuck frowning and staring at his shirtless chest. Well, his drivesuit scars to be more exact.

“They’re not as welted as Stacker’s,” Chuck said in an oddly soft voice.

Raleigh gave a huff through his nose. “Yeah, well. Mark III and all. Better tech, more attractive scars. What can I say? Apparently the longer you go the nicer the shade of permanent red you acquire. I think this is what they call the Sunrise Special. Don’t think I went as long as Stacker but it was close.”

Chuck was much closer now and had dropped onto the very far end of his bed where his pillow was. “Fuck you, you arsehole,” he said softly, eyes meeting Raleigh’s briefly before looking away. “That’s not what I meant and you know it.”

“No…I don’t,” Raleigh said, tightly. “See once, a lot of years ago, I thought I knew what you meant. I thought I knew what it meant when you smiled and it reached your eyes, or you laughed, or when you touched me, or any number of things. I thought that I understood your gestures because I had to. You fucking suck at saying the words.”

Raleigh knew he was getting loud so he took a breath and looked at Chuck with an insincere, bright smile. “So no. I can’t say that I actually know what you meant.”

“Okay.”

“Why are you here?” Raleigh asked. “I’m not up for round two of kicking your ass at the moment if this is a new kink of yours. You’ll have to find someone else for those.”

Chuck raked a hand through his hair. “Fuck, I’d forgotten what a mouthy shit you are when you’re angry,” he muttered.

“I’m not ang-“

Raleigh never finished his sentence because Chuck had surged forward and covered his mouth with his own, thrusting his tongue inside while Raleigh had his mouth open to talk. Chuck slanted his mouth over Raleigh’s, hand on his jaw to keep it open, the other hand buried in the hair at the back of his head.

Raleigh wasn’t sure what was happening but he wasn’t going to question it. He wanted to grab Chuck’s hands and hold them at the wrists over his head but Chuck had other ideas.

He tugged on Raleigh until he figured out Chuck wanted him to straddle his hips while Chuck leaned against the wall, still seated on the bunk. Chuck gripped Raleigh’s hips and pushed down helping him to grind their erections together (because yes, Raleigh’s dick had grown hard the moment Chuck slid his tongue into his mouth).

Their kisses grew hotter and became more like open mouthed gasps and moans. Chuck’s fingers were struggling with Raleigh’s belt when a sound rang loud throughout the ‘dome.

“No, no, no, no,” Chuck uttered in irritation while tugging on the belt harder. “I didn’t hear that. I only need a few more goddamn minutes.” He dropped the belt and gripped Raleigh’s hips again and thrust up hard.

Raleigh’s face was in the crook of Chuck’s neck and shoulder and he bit down, venting his frustration as well, even while spreading his knees wider and grinding down to meet Chuck’s thrust.

Which is when the door crashed open, the alarm shrieking louder before mercifully cutting off. “Hey Rals, come on Kid, oh you’ve gotta be shitting me, for real?”

“Fuck off, Yancy,” Chuck nearly cried out. “Did you put a goddamn chastity belt on him?”

“I’m about to spritz you both with water. Buncha cats in heat.”

Raleigh regretfully, painfully climbed off Chuck, willing his erection down. “Fucking kaiju.”

“I don’t think the kaiju fuck,” Yancy replied kicking Chuck out of the room with a little more force than necessary and dragging Raleigh to LOCCENT.

“Your sense of humor killed my boner,” Raleigh said as they hustled down the corridor. “I’m calling you Boner Killer. Perhaps Boner for short. I could sell your humor online to save millions of teenage boys from embarrassment.”

“Call me that and I’ll tell Hansen you had the hots for his dad.”

“You wouldn’t! And it’s called ‘hero worship’. I had it for you once too.”

“Split the profits with me.”

“Of course! 45/55. You oversleep.”

“Fair ‘nuff. And you still worship me.”

“I wanna be just like you when I grow up. A man with a boner killing sense of humor.”

 

**^^**

**MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT – HK SHATTERDOME – POST DOUBLE EVENT GIPSY DANGER KILLS /CHERNO ALPHA – CRIMSON TYPHOON CREW RECOVERED**

After finally being cleared by medical all Raleigh could think about was taking a hot shower and passing out in his bunk for the next 12 hours. The Dr.’s G had promised he could have 12 hours of sleep if not a few days before the next event.

Because he’d kill them if he didn’t get some sleep.

Yancy and Mako had muttered something about being hungry and heading to the mess where an impromptu celebration and snacks were being served. Normally Raleigh would be suspicious because Yancy didn’t like being awake in the middle of the night but then this was a party and it had been years since they’d been to one so maybe it wasn’t so unusual after all.

  
Mako though, she was also looking dead on her feet and yet she was letting Yancy drag her along to the party.

He’d told Mako not to stay out late and gave her a kiss on her forehead. Then he demanded Yancy bring some good food back for him and hugged his brother tight. It had been good to be in a jaeger again but so strange to be in Gipsy without Yancy. But also right to be in her with Mako as well. He’d missed Yancy but Mako understood and he knew Yancy did as well.

“Nothing with nuts, ok?” Raleigh called after them.

“I got your nuts right here,” Yancy said turning around and grinning, one hand cupping himself.

Mako cuffed him in the back of his head. “Seriously?” Yancy asked outraged.

“I do not think your brother is interested in your nuts.”

Yancy waggled his brows at her. “Perhaps I can interest you little girl.”

Mako looked at him sidewise, a smile at the corners of her mouth. “Perhaps, Mr. Becket.” Then she walked ahead with a bit of a teasing sway to her hips.

Yancy gave a shout of laughter, scooped her in a fireman’s carry and headed towards the party. Mako burst into laughter and smacked him on his ass.

“I am the Marshal’s daughter!”

Yancy smacked her ass right back. “You’re a saucy wench.”

“Is this a good thing?”

“Very much so.”

“Put me down and you may tell me more.”

Yancy immediately set her down at which point Mako sprinted down the hall towards the mess. “Wench!” he shouted.

“Pirate!”

“I got your cutlass right here, Mori!” Raleigh could hear Yancy’s fading shouts followed by Mako’s shrieks of laughter.

Raleigh sighed and stumbled back to his quarters. His eyes were feeling so heavy that it took him three tries to punch the code in before it unlocked.

Inside he kicked off his boots and managed to unthread his belt but the thought of walking all ten feet to the bathroom door and turning on the shower seemed like an enormous task when his bunk was only five feet in front of him.

Or at least he thought it was five feet. He was so tired he staggered and then tripped over something before falling into the bed.

Only instead of hitting his head on the metal headboard like expected he fell face first into someone’s broad chest and then felt arms clamp around him and haul him up into the bed.

His mouth wanted to say ‘what the fuck’ even though his brain was already busy registering ‘Chuck! In my bed! Again!’

Instead he opened his mouth and said,”Huh? How’d you get in here?”

“Yancy.”

“No!”

“Mm-hmm. You drunk, mate?”

“Tired. Really, really tired.”

Chuck slid down on the bed, back propped against two pillows, while Raleigh was left with the inside between Chuck and the wall. If the asshole was going to use his pillows then he was going to use him as a pillow.

Stupid fucker.

He sprawled half on top of Chuck and wedged his face in the crook of his neck and shoulder.

Fucker who smelled really good.

Asshole who was now running his fingers through Raleigh’s hair, lightly scratching the scalp and oh hell did it feel so very, very good. Raleigh breathed deeply and let himself relax for what felt like the first time in years.

He yawned and asked sleepily, “Did you tell me why you’re here? In my bed?”

“No.” Chuck moved from scratching to tugging lightly on the hair which was even more blissful if possible.

Raleigh must have dropped off because when he startled awake Chuck’s hand was stroking the back of his neck. “We were fighting, right? And then the alarm –“

“Shh,” Chuck dropped his hand to Raleigh’s back. His other hand moved from kneading Raleigh’s hip to hooking behind the knee of the leg that was sliding off of him. “Sleep.”

Oh. Oh. Raleigh shifted to encompass Chuck a bit more, this time he slid his hand under the green t-shirt he always favors to touch the warm, familiar skin beneath. He smiled when he heard and felt the hitch in Chuck’s breathing but he did nothing more than lightly stroke his thumb back and forth. It was really a lot of effort at this point.

“Aren’t you,” Raleigh yawned hugely again and then dozed for a moment before jerking awake again. “tired? Aren’t you tired?”

Chuck laughed. “Yeah.”

“So sleep.” Raleigh kissed him now on the neck, open mouthed with a light nip at the end. “Stay.”

Chuck was silent for so long that Raleigh dozed as well figuring that Chuck had fallen asleep. Only he hadn’t.

“Raleigh?” Chuck whispered.

“Mmm?”

“I don’t want to stay for tonight.” Chuck’s voice sounded broken and lost.

Raleigh slid his hand out from under the t-shirt and cupped Chuck’s jaw propping himself up on an elbow to look into Chuck’s bewildered eyes. He gave him a soft smile.

“I know Charles.” Raleigh leaned forward and kissed him softly with all the love he had and felt it returned ten-fold in Chuck’s kiss. “I know Babe. Stay with me forever, yeah?”

Chuck wrapped himself around Raleigh, his face pressed into Raleigh's neck and inhaled deeply before letting out a soft sigh.

“Yeah.” Chuck’s voice was strong. He pulled back to look at Raleigh, a warm, dimpled smile on his lips and shining bright in his eyes.

All for Raleigh.

The way Raleigh had always wanted.

 

\- The End -

**Author's Note:**

> And if you honestly made it to this part through reading the whole story I say thank you and yay you! Can you believe I actually had so much more I wanted to put in? But there was a deadline and er...well, we don't want to talk about it. 
> 
> If you're wondering why many things were touched upon but not expanded on, or if situations (character actions) seemed unusual this was intentional. :) There's a reason for all of it. The challenge required a complete story and since it couldn't be completed in time I'll wrap it up in "Part II". 
> 
> I'm passing out now. From exhaustion and possibly no small bit of terror and people actually reading a PacRim story from my head.


End file.
